Fashion retailer Next forecast annual profits slightly ahead of guidance and announced a new 50p special dividend, but said it remained cautious about 2015.Next said it now expected full-year profits to be within £10m either side of £775m, £5m ahead of the midpoint profit guidance it issued in October and 11.5% up on last year's figure. Earnings per share are set to be up 13.5% on a year ago.The group went into its end of season sale with more stock than last year due to slower sales of winter gear during the mild autumn weather, but it said clearance rates so far had matched expectations.It added, however, that it remained very cautions in terms of sales budgets for the year ahead."In spring and summer the company will face very tough comparative numbers," Next said. "As we pointed out in our September interim announcement, during the first half of 2014 sales were significantly assisted by unusually warm weather."There is potential upside in the second half as our sales comparisons weaken, although uncertainty in the UK political outlook and turbulence in the international economy present potential downside risks."We are currently budgeting for full price sales growth in 2015/16 to be between +2.5% and +7.5%, with the first half expected to perform at the lower end of the range. Profits are expected to grow in line with sales."Next said it had decided to declare a further 50p per share special dividend, payable in February, on top of the three 50p payouts so far.Full price sales in the 58 days from Tuesday 28 October to Wednesday 24 December were up 2.9%, towards the upper end of the fourth quarter sales guidance range Next issued in October. Total sales for the year to 24 December rose 7.7%.